We Are Honored By Kind Words From Our Friends

We Are Honored By Kind Words From Our Friends

Since embarking on this journey over a decade ago, we have had phenomenal fortune in the vineyard, winery, and beyond, as our wines have received nothing short of outstanding critical praise.

What began with one man, one winemaker, and one shared dream has evolved to become a groundbreaking portfolio that has set the standard for American Cabernet Sauvignon production. Schrader Cellars has earned a combined total of 27 perfect 100 point scores from The Wine Advocate, Wine Spectator, JebDunnuck.com, and JamesSuckling.com a truly peerless accomplishment in winemaking.

Revered critic Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate, has honored us as the only producer in the entirety of his career to receive 100 point scores across three consecutive vintages of the same wine not once, but twice, with both the Schrader CCS and Schrader Old Sparky Cabernet Sauvignons. Beginning in 2001, ten-year retrospective tastings of our Cabernets by Robert Parker have also resulted in nine score revisions that recognize our wines at 99 or 100 points, a true testament to the strength of our winemaking philosophy. Our place as the world’s finest makers of Cabernet Sauvignon was further solidified in 2010, where for the first time in the history of Wine Spectator, two newly released wines — the 2007 Schrader CCS and Schrader Old Sparky Cabernet Sauvignons — received perfect 100 point scores in a blind taste test from esteemed Senior Editor James Laube.

We are beyond honored by our historical achievements and invite you, our most loyal friends, to share in the success we have found through your enduring support.

SCHRADER

2017 Schrader — WA (93-96) JD (97-100)

2017 Schrader Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated (93-96) Pts. The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard (a barrel sample) is deep purple-black in color and scented of warm cassis, blueberry pie and warm black cherries with touches of spice box, cloves and licorice with a waft of potpourri. Medium to full-bodied with firm, chewy tannins and a lively backbone, it finishes long and earthy.

— Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate

Rated (97-100) Pts. Coming all from a single block in the To Kalon Vineyard and all clone 4, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Schrader reveals more black fruits, smoked earth, chocolate, camphor, and crushed rocks. It’s one of the biggest, baddest wines in the lineup in 2017 and is full-bodied, deep, rich, and layered. The cellar is going to be your friend.

— Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

2016 Schrader — WA 98 JD 99

2016 Schrader Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 98 Pts. The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is very deep purple-black in color, with opulent scents of exotic spices, sandalwood and cloves over a core of chocolate box, crushed black cherries, mulberries and black pepper with a waft of cedar. The full-bodied palate has a rock-solid line of ripe, grainy tannins, oodles of freshness and layer upon layer of spice and incense-laced black fruits, finishing on a compelling aniseed note.

— Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate

Rated 99 Pts. The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Schrader (aka Schrader Schrader) is another just about perfect wine from this unstoppable team at Schrader, which is lead by Thomas Rivers Brown. As with all these releases, it’s 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and spent 20 months in 75% new Darnajou barrels and 25% new Taransaud barrels. Deep purple-colored, with a mammoth bouquet of blue fruits, liquid violets, camphor, and incense along with hints of oak and graphite, it’s full-bodied, uber-rich and concentrated, yet also elegant and seamless. It’s a rock star bottle of wine.

— Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

2015 Schrader — WA 100 WS 95 JD 98 JS 95

2015 Schrader Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 100 Pts. Coming from the Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard, from blocks C2, D2 and B2 planted predominately to clone 4, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Schrader is intensely scented of vibrant blackberries, black plums and cassis, with touches of Indian spices, eucalypt, mocha and tilled black soil plus a waft of oolong tea. Medium to full-bodied, the palate comes through with a compelling chocolate-covered cherries character and tons of subtle layers, structured with very firm, very fine-grained tannins and impressive freshness, finishing with epic persistence.

— Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate

Rated 95 Pts. Beautifully crafted, deep, rich and multifaceted, with tiers of dark berry, cherry, plum and wild berry, this is deftly balanced, making it notably easy to approach now, but a great choice for the cellar as well. Best from 2020 through 2033.

— James Laube, Wine Spectator

Rated 98 Pts. Another wine that flirts with perfection is the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Schrader (aka Schrader Schrader). It’s one of the more opulent, massive and sweetly fruited beauties in the lineup, yet it has incredible purity and elegance, as well as full-bodied power and richness. Cassis, toasted spices, licorice, and chocolate all emerge from this long, rich, perfectly balanced beauty. There are just over 200 cases produced and it’s going to deliver the goods for two decades, although there’s no harm in early gratification either.

Rated 95 Pts. The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon, which is clone 4 from the To Kalon vineyard is aged in 75% new Darnajou and 25% new Taransaud. This is a fruit-forward, opaque purple wine, like its siblings, with notes of creosote, licorice, charcoal, blackcurrants and blackberries. It is full-bodied, but round and succulent. It ended up at 14.5% natural alcohol. Drink it over the next 15-20 years.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rated 93 Pts. A bold, rich, assertive style that packs in lots of flavor, from spicy oak to mocha and espresso notes, all of which bolster the core of dark berry, licorice, vanilla bean and spice. Ends with full-blown, integrated tannins. Best from 2020 through 2034.

— James Laube, Wine Spectator

Rated 99 Pts. Seductive aromas of crushed berries, wet earth, leaves, mushrooms and violets. Wow. Full body, ultra-fine tannins and a super depth of fruit and intensity. Shows power with finesse. This needs three to four years before it will show its true greatness.

— James Suckling, Jamessuckling.com

2013 Schrader — WA 95 WS 95 JS 100

2013 Schrader Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 95 Pts. The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon from clone 4, but a different block of the Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard, shows great fruit, but not nearly the complexity of the CCS. It is one of those micro-examples that is a fabulous wine, but somehow never seems to be up to the quality of the CCS, which is made from the same clone in an adjacent block. Nevertheless, this wine is full-bodied, rich and dense, with classic tobacco leaf, graphite, blackcurrant and licorice, and some toasty, smoky oak in the background. Drink it over the next 30 years.

Rated 100 Pts. This is a red with amazing structure and muscle yet it remains fresh and agile. Full body, chewy and polished tannins. Salty with chili and sweet tobacco. So savory. Marvelous, seamless texture. In synch. Why wait?

— James Suckling, Jamessuckling.com

2012 Schrader — WA 98 WS 95

2012 Schrader Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 98 Pts. Nearly as prodigious is the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer to Kalon Vineyard, which is Clone 4 and Clone 6 blended together from the Beckstoffer to Kalon Vineyard, this is the highest in alcohol of the 2012s at 14.6%. It was aged in a combination of 50% new Darnajou and 50% new Taransaud barrels. This wine is one of the tighter, more backward of the 2012s, with more structure, tannin, muscle, a masculine personality, oodles of black and blue fruits and a massive mouthfeel, but is somehow much more primary and younger tasting than the other wines. Forget it for a few years and drink it over the following 20-25 years.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rated 95 Pts. Sleek, refined and elegant, showing rich layers of spicy oak, black- berry and wild berry, with cedar and herb nuances. Ends with a long, full finish that gains depth and detail, firming nicely on the finish.

— James Laube, Wine Spectator

2011 Schrader — WA 96

2011 Schrader Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 96 Pts. The impressive 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is one of the richest of Schrader’s 2011s. Thomas Brown told me that this particular block was picked before the heavy rainfalls arrived and production was a minuscule three-quarters of a ton per acre. Hence, only 52 cases were made. It is a big, rich, atypical wine for a 2011.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

2010 Schrader — WA 94+ WS 96

2010 Schrader Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 94+ Pts. The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is the most tannic of these cuvees. It exhibits an opaque purple color along with a big, intense perfume, but the wine is closed, structured, muscular and masculine in the mouth. There are only 52 cases, compared to 370 cases in 2012, so good luck finding any. This offering was made from clone 4, 6 and 337, making it one of the few multiple clone wines in the Schrader portfolio.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rated 96 Pts. Delivers a rich, potent mix of layered flavors that are deep and pure, brimming with black licorice, dark berry, mocha, tea and floral notes that are tight, focused and persistent, with gutsy tannins.

— James Laube, Wine Spectator

2009 Schrader — WA 95 WS 95

2009 Schrader Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 95 Pts. One of the flagships, the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Schrader Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is endowed with serious minerality and tension. Violets, pencil shavings, blackberries and cinnamon burst from this deep, resonant, implosive Cabernet. I very much like the intensity and power here. This is another huge, towering wine that will require considerable patience, but it is dazzling, even today.

— Antonio Galloni, The Wine Advocate

Rated 95 Pts. Delivers a rich, potent mix of layered flavors that are deep and pure, brimming with black licorice, dark berry, mocha, tea and floral notes that are tight, focused and persistent, with gutsy tannins.

— James Laube, Wine Spectator

2008 Schrader — WA 98+ WS 98

2008 Schrader Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon vineyard

Rated 98+ Pts. From the reviews I gave Schrader's 2007s and 2008s last year and the 2005s and 2006s previously, to the recent Wine Spectator cover story on Fred and Carol Schrader, there doesn't appear to be a hotter Cabernet Sauvignon producer in the New World than this small boutique winery. Their wines have already received four perfect scores and with this report, that grows to six... The wines are incredibly expressive examples of Cabernet Sauvignon that are as good as it gets for this varietal. Of course they are more similar than dissimilar, but I suspect virtually every vintage they have produced to date has 25-40 years of cellaring potential, and long term aging should produce more and more subtle differences to support this compulsive study of clones and parcels within a given vineyard. I'll try and keep my notes simple, but these are profoundly great, world-class wines.

The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Schrader, which comes from Clones 4, 6 and 337, is slightly more structured and perhaps not as velvety as the CCS or RBS. Again, blue fruits, black fruits, camphor, charcoal and burning ember characteristics are presented in a full-bodied, powerful style that balances intensity with elegance and an uncanny equilibrium. This is another stunning wine that should benefit from 4-5 years of cellaring and keep for 25-30+ years.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rated 98 Pts. Deep, rich, pure and extracted, exhibiting focused plum, creme de cassis and wild raspberry flavors that dance, with more fruit, a shade less earth and lots of finesse and polish. Ends with a long finish.

— James Laube, Wine Spectator

2007 Schrader — WA 96+ WS 98

2007 Schrader Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 96+ Pts. The 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vineyard Schrader, which comes from clone 4 and clone 6, from two sepa- rate blocks, is another prodigious Cabernet. It boasts stunning concentration, a dense purple color, plenty of crushed rock, floral, black currant, pain grille, and spice box notes, and outstanding ripeness as well as richness. Forget it for 3-4 years, and enjoy it over the following 25+.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rated 98 Pts. Exhibits deep, penetrating aromas of cedar, mocha and graphite, with layers of dark berry scents centered around blackberry and wild berry. Full-bodied, dense and chewy, this is a muscular and chiseled work of beauty, ending with chewy, fruit- and tobacco-infused flavors. Best from 2012 through 2025.

— James Laube, Wine Spectator

2006 Schrader — WA 98+ WS 97

2006 Schrader Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 98+ Pts. As I wrote last year, this is a fascinating portfolio of 100% Cabernet Sauvignons all of them from Beckstoffer-owned vineyards, including the To-Kalon Vineyard in Oakville, and one wine from the George III Vineyard in Rutherford. All the wines are aged in 100% new French oak, usually a combination of Darnajou and Taransaud barrels, with a higher percentage of Darnajou used for the T6, CCS, Old Sparky, and Schrader. The different bottlings are essentially based on specific blocks and/or specific clones of Cabernet Sauvignon. In short, I think the 2006s are arguably the finest wines of the vintage, and the 2007s appear to be as profound. One of the more backward efforts is the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To-Kalon Schrader. It is dense and full-bodied, but holding more in reserve.

Rated 96+ Pts. The 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Schrader is a wine of great intensity...It needs another 3-4 years of cellaring at the minimum. Blackcurrants, licorice, incense and some toast make up the restrained, but intensely aromatic personality of this wine.

Rated 100 Pts. Only perfect wine of the vintage, which Thomas Brown calls the “Schrader Schrader,” is the 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Schrader Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vineyard, a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from clones 4, 6 and 337. This was aged in 90% Darnajou and 10% Taransaud barrels... In possession of everything anyone could want in a wine, this profound effort offers up a bouquet of lavender, cedarwood, creme de cassis, blackberry, subtle smoke and incense. It is broad, full-bodied and opulent with ethereal complexity, remarkable concentration and that indescribable gravitas and nobility that world-class prodigious wines possess.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rated 97 Pts. All four of the new Schrader Cabernets are breathtaking, the best he's made yet, dense and powerful without being heavy or ponderous. Tiers of mocha-laced currant, cassis, blackberry, spice and subtle herb shadings give this tightly focused wine great depth and personality. Drink now through 2015.

— James Laube, Wine Spectator

2003 Schrader — WA 99

2003 Schrader Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 99 Pts. The most backward of this quartet appears to be the 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon Schrader BeckstofferTo-Kalon Vineyard. With great richness, power and intensity as well as lots of blackberry, creme de cassis, coffee and chocolaty notes, an exuberant fragrance, a certain sensuality and sexiness despite its massive richness and full-bodied, broodingly backward style; this killer Cabernet needs to be forgotten for 3-4 years. It should be drunk over the following two decades.

These wines represent an obsessive-compulsive intellectual study of the effect of different Cabernet Sauvignon clones in a single vineyard, in this case, the great Beckstoffer To-Kalon site in Oakville. Made by Thomas Brown for Fred (Old Sparky) and Carol Schrader, these wines are all stunning. At age ten, they are just beginning to reveal some nuances and differences illustrated by this clonal

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

2002 Schrader — WA 98+ WS 96

2002 Schrader Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 98+ Pts. The 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vineyard was the tightest of this trio, with an inky/opaque purple color as well as an extraordinary bouquet of black truffles, licorice, asphalt, barbecue smoke, and oodles of blueberry and black currant fruit. Full-bodied, with striking purity and a layered, multidimensional texture, its youthful vigor and exuberance suggest a 2- to 3-year-old wine, rather than one that is a decade old. Assuming you can defer your gratification (and I really cannot offer any justification to do so), this wine will improve for at least another 5-10 years, and last for an additional 15+. Like its siblings, this is a Napa Valley legend.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rated 96 Pts. A delicious Cabernet, with a wonderful purity of flavor anchored by a rich, dense and concentrated core of earthy currant, blackberry, wild berry and perfumed floral aromas. Supported by firm, ripe, structured tannins. There's a lot going on in this youngster. Best from 2008 through 2014.

— James Laube, Wine Spectator

2001 Schrader — WA 99 WS 95

2001 Schrader Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 99 Pts. More mature and evolved (or maybe it just has more to it), the 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vineyard tastes like a great vintage of Pontet-Canet or Mouton Rothschild. This profound Napa Cabernet Sauvignon reveals gorgeous notes of creme de cassis, a celestial floral and espresso character, an inky/purple color, a dense full-bodied mouthfeel and hints of wood smoke and a volcanic/burning ember note. Quite intense with a prodigious mouthfeel and a nearly 60-second finish, this wine can be drunk now or cellared for another quarter of a century. Bravo!

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rated 95 Pts. An immense, stunning, elegantly defined wine, with a rich, fleshy core of plum, blackberry and cherry fruit that's deliciously ripe and mouthcoating. Firm, ripe, integrated tannins give it grip on the finish, with a touch of fresh earth, herb and leather. Best from 2007 through 2014.

— James Laube, Wine Spectator

SCHRADER CCS

2017 Schrader CCS — WA (94-96) JD (97-100)

2017 Schrader CCS Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated (94-96) Pts. Deep purple-black in color, the barrel sample of 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon CCS has incredible intensity of cassis, fresh cherries and warm redcurrants with touches of tobacco, lavender and wild thyme. The palate is medium to full-bodied, grainy and lively with great expression and some spiciness on the finish.

— Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate

Rated (97-100) Pts. A wine that’s going to flirt with perfection as well as be one of the wines of the vintage, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon CCS Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard offers a real “wow” nose of assorted black and blue fruits, candied violets, incense, and fruitcake. Showing more minerality with time in the glass, it’s full-bodied, has sensational purity of fruit, sweet tannins, and a huge finish. Yes, please.

— Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

2016 Schrader CCS — WA 98 JD 100

2016 Schrader CCS Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 98 Pts. Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon CCS has exuberant notes of plum preserves, baked blackberries and warm cassis with notions of cedar, pencil lead, Indian spices and Sichuan pepper plus a touch of rose hip tea. Very firm and structured in the full-bodied mouth, the palate is laden with tightly wound black and blue fruit layers, lifted by an exciting line of freshness and finishing on a lingering perfumed note.

— Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate

Rated 100 Pts. The most structured and backward in the lineup, yet with incredible potential, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon CCS Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is a monumental bottle of wine that ticked all my boxes. Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged 20 months in 100% new Darnajou barrels, it reveals a deep purple color as well as a myriad of blueberry and cassis fruits, candied violets, spice box, and licorice, with just a hint of background oak and a lead pencil note. With a full-bodied, layered, thrilling texture, masses of ripe tannins, and a more focused and elegant style than usual for this cuvée, forget bottles for 4-5 years, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following 25+ years.

— Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

2015 Schrader CCS — WA 99 WS 94 JD 100 JS 98

2015 Schrader CCS Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 99 Pts. Coming from the Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard, block C1 planted to clone 4, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon CCS has a very pretty nose of ripe plums, black cherries and mulberries with an undercurrent of violets, licorice, marmite toast and cigar box plus a touch of aged beef. Medium to full-bodied, the palate struts great finesse, with very fine, silt-like tannins supporting the nuanced black fruit layers, finishing very long and with great purity.

— Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate

Rated 94 Pts. Marked by firm, ripe, dusty, loamy tannins that give this textural distinction, this will benefit from short-term cellaring. Tiers of spicy berry, loamy earth and smoky oak fold in nicely, adding to the experience. Best from 2021 through 2034.

— James Laube, Wine Spectator

Rated 100 Pts. The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard CCS is the gem in the lineup and is a perfect wine in every sense. Possessing a deep purple color, awesome minerality in its graphite, blueberry, cassis, and spice-driven aromatics, full-bodied richness and a weightless, elegant yet powerful style that needs to be tasted to be believed, this heavenly 2015 glides over the palate and is as seamless and pure as they come. Ideally it will be given a few years of bottle and it’s capable of developing for 20+ years.

Rated 98 Pts. Another one of my favorites is the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon CCS, which is clone 4 from the To Kalon Vineyard in Oakville. This is aged in 100% new Darnajou and is one of the larger cuvées at 510 cases. Wonderfully sweet, velvety tannins, a big sweet nose of white flowers, blackberry and cassis along with cedar wood, charcoal and graphite are all present in this full-bodied opulent wine that also retains wonderful elegance. It finished at 14.6% alcohol and will drink beautifully now as well as over the next 15-20 years.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rated 95 Pts. Jazzy aromas of melted dark chocolate and toasty oak are alluring, supported by deep, rich, extracted dark berry, herb and savory underbrush notes, making for a mouthcoating texture and a long, persistent finish that keeps the flavors lively. Drink now through 2033.

— James Laube, Wine Spectator

Rated 96 Pts. Complex aromas of crushed blueberries, flowers and cold crushed stones follow through to a full body, soft and silky tannins and a flavorful finish. Shows a fine line of tannins and acidity though the rich yet fresh fruit. Drink in 2021.

— James Suckling, Jamessuckling.com

2013 Schrader CCS — WA 100 WS 94 JS 99

2013 Schrader CCS Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 100 Pts. There is something ethereal about the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon CCS, a wine that I tend to give more perfect scores to than of the other Schrader offerings. This is clone 4 from a special block of the Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard in Oakville, and it always seems to have these incredible, explosive aromatics ranging from blueberry to blackberry to cassis to spring flowers and lead pencil shavings. It’s always one of the more seductive wines early on, with sweet, velvety tannins, a plush, succulent mouthfeel, full-bodied splendor and majestic texture. This is a killer effort of great intensity and presence. Drink it over then next 25-30 years.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rated 94 Pts. A robust and rustic youngster, undeniably powerful and deep, yet tightly wound and begging for cellaring and decanting. The dark red and black fruit is zesty, with minerally acidity, fine-grained tannins and a sense of refinement and elegance. Drink now through 2023.

— James Laube, Wine Spectator

Rated 99 Pts. So aromatic and floral with violet, lilac, and sage character. Full body, very cool. Lots of blue fruit. Hints of sweet tobacco, lemon grass and white pepper. Needs two or three years to open. Muscular. Better in 2023.

— James Suckling, Jamessuckling.com

2012 Schrader CCS — WA 100 WS 94

2012 Schrader CCS Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 100 Pts. The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer to Kalon Vineyard CCS is Clone 4 from another block, and always seems to hit all the sweet spots on my palate. It’s aged 20 months in 100% new Darnajou barrels. The good news is there are 520 cases of it. Just a prodigious wine, this spectacular Cabernet Sauvignon is inky bluish/purple with a gorgeous nose of spring flowers, blueberry, blackberry and cassis fruit, a touch of background toast and graphite. It has a very full-bodied, multidimensional mouthfeel and a skyscraper-like finish. It is fabulously open, sexy and a total thrill to smell and taste. This should continue to drink well for two decades.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rated 94 Pts. While big and chewy, this offers an intriguing mix of dark berry, plum and black cherry, shaded by black licorice, cedar and berry jam on the finish. The flavors push through gracefully on the finish.

— James Laube, Wine Spectator

2011 Schrader CCS — WA 95

2011 Schrader CCS Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 95 Pts. Usually my favorite cuvee, the Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard CCS is a beauty in 2011. Made in a showy, flamboyant style, it boasts a dense ruby/purple color as well as sweet notes of creme de cassis, violets, licorice, forest floor and new oak. This supple, round effort is one of the superstars of this challenging vintage. It should drink well for 10-15 years or longer.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

2010 Schrader CCS — WA 98 WS 95

2010 Schrader CCS Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 98 Pts. A wine that seems to hit all of the sweet spots on my palate is the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard CCS made from clone 4. It possesses about the same amount of alcohol as the other wines (14.5%), and is aged 20 months in 100% new oak, but it reveals an opulence, voluptuousness and a seamless haute couture fashion. There is something Pomerol-like in the 2010 CCS that I have not noticed in previous vintages. That may be due to the upfront, appealing, stunningly rich, voluptuous style. This is a Cabernet Sauvignon of great nobility and character that, despite its precociousness, should age for 25+ years.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rated 95 Pts. Red and black, black and red, a wonderful mix of flavors cloaked in a shawl of chewy, loamy earth and spicy tannins. Backward, this begs for cellaring and is sure to offer a pleasant surprise sometime soon.

— James Laube, Wine Spectator

2009 Schrader CCS — WA 96+ WS 95

2009 Schrader CCS Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 96+ Pts. The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon CCS Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard comes across as big, tight and powerful. This is one of the more reticent, inward of the 2009 Schraders. Tar, licorice, menthol and violets are some of the notes that wrap around the intense, virile finish. Today the CCS is a touch compact. It will merit a higher score if the fruit fills out a little more. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2029.

Rated 100 Pts. From the reviews I gave Schrader's 2007s and 2008s last year and the 2005s and 2006s previously, to the recent Wine Spectator cover story on Fred and Carol Schrader, there doesn't appear to be a hotter Cabernet Sauvignon producer in the New World than this small boutique winery. Their wines have already received four perfect scores and with this report, that grows to six... The wines are incredibly expressive examples of Cabernet Sauvignon that are as good as it gets for this varietal. Of course they are more similar than dissimilar, but I suspect virtually every vintage they have produced to date has 25-40 years of cellaring potential, and long term aging should produce more and more subtle differences to support this compulsive study of clones and parcels within a given vineyard. I'll try and keep my notes simple, but these are profoundly great, world-class wines.

For some reason I have a sweet spot for Schrader’s 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon CCS, which, like the 2007, merits a perfect rating. That should set up some very interesting competitive tastings in the future. Made from a particular block of Clone 4 planted in the Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vineyard, there is something just broader, deeper, more multidimensional and more subtle without losing any of the great intensity, purity and richness these wines possess that gives the CCS an amazing character. Keep in mind, as my editor pointed out to me, this is the third straight vintage of this cuvee to merit a perfect score, which must be the first of its kind in 32 years of critiquing wines. Blueberry pie intermixed with creme de cassis, licorice, subtle oak and forest floor notes are followed by an extraordinary wine of staggering richness, luxurious fruit and seamlessness. This is the kind of wine that simply has it all, and I think it could easily be inserted in a tasting against the greatest first-growth Bordeaux or any other profound Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa or elsewhere and hold its own, if not dominate the tasting. There is a remarkable character to this wine that will be fascinating to follow over the next 25-30 years.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rated 95 Pts. Delightfully elegant and refined, showing both richness, opulence and depth of flavor with a measure of loamy earth, mineral and light cedar. Full-bodied and persistent, ending with chewy, extracted fruit and a rustic edge, appropriate for such a young wine. Drink now through 2023.

— James Laube, Wine Spectator

2007 Schrader CCS — WA 100 WS 100

2007 Schrader CCS Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 100 Pts. There is something about the inky/purple-hued 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vineyard CCS (clone 4) that blows me away. The most opulent, perfumed, and accessible of these wines, it exhibits an opaque purple color as well as an extraordinary density and richness in addition to copious creme de cassis, cedar, ink, and spice box characteristics. As with all of these wines, there is a seamless integration of acidity, tannin, wood, and alcohol in addition to phenomenal length and ripeness. The multidimensional personality and full-bodied style, with both power and elegance, is compelling. This amazing effort can be drunk now, but it will be even better in 4-5 years, and should unfold gracefully over the following 30+ years.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rated 100 Pts. Offering riveting aromas of red and black cherry, red and black licorice, plum, spice and cedar, this is firm, full-bodied, deep, dense and concentrated on the palate, not wanting to bend much now, but with a muscular thrust of flavors and backbone that bodes well for cellaring. Best from 2012 through 2025.

— James Laube, Wine Spectator

2006 Schrader CCS — WA 100

2006 Schrader CCS Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 100 Pts. The 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To-Kalon CCS is utter perfection in Cabernet Sauvignon. Extraordinary power, fruit depth, and perfume (not dissimilar from its siblings) as well as a seamlessness, monumental richness, and a staggering finish are the stuff of legends. Again, the dominant characteristics are creme de cassis, graphite, espresso, blackberries, chocolate, and subtle background new oak.

As I wrote last year, this is a fascinating portfolio of 100% Cabernet Sauvignons all of them from Beckstoffer-owned vineyards, including the To-Kalon Vineyard in Oakville, and one wine from the George III Vineyard in Rutherford. All the wines are aged in 100% new French oak, usually a combination of Darnajou and Taransaud barrels, with a higher percentage of Darnajou used for the T6, CCS, Old Sparky, and Schrader. The different bottlings are essentially based on specific blocks and/or specific clones of Cabernet Sauvignon. In short, I think the 2006s are arguably the finest wines of the vintage, and the 2007s appear to be as profound.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

2005 Schrader CCS — WA 100 WS 95

2005 Schrader CCS Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 100 Pts. The 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon CCS is absolutely out of this world. I have given more perfect scores to this cuvée than any of the other Schrader wines. Made from Clone 4 with slight additions of Clone 6 and 337, it is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, like all these wines from the Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard. This wine has a glorious nose of licorice, cedar wood, vanillin, creme de cassis, blackberry and graphite. Super-rich and velvety, with sweet, supple tannins, an opulent full-bodied mouthfeel, and a skyscraper-like finish, this prodigious wine is drinking beautifully, and just now coming into its adolescence. It should go on for another 20-25 years.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rated 95 Pts. Dark and intense, with firm, structured currant, black cherry, blackberry and spicy, cedary flavors that provide backbone and depth. Young and tight, this needs time, revealing an elegance and refinement on the finish. Best from 2009 through 2016.

— James Laube, Wine Spectator

2004 Schrader CCS — WA 96 WS 97

2004 Schrader CCS Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon vineyard

Rated 96 Pts. The 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon CCS, fashioned from clones 4 and 337, included for the first time some fruit from the Las Piedres vineyard as well as from the Beckstoffer To-Kalon vineyard. It was aged 20 months in 100% Darnajou barrels and finished at the same alcohol level of 14.5%. With a dense, purple color that is opaque to the rim, it offers up notes of incense, camphor, toast, black currants and blackberry. This deep, opulent fleshy and forward style of wine seems to have hit full maturity relatively early and has sensational texture, purity and a finish of close to 50 seconds. This is a spectacular wine that should drink well for 15-20 more years.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rated 97 Pts. Dark, dense and powerful without being heavy or ponderous. Tiers of mocha-laced currant, cassis, blackberry, spice and subtle herb shadings give this tightly focused wine great depth and personality. Drink now through 2015.

Rated 94-96 Pts. A barrel sample, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon GIII is deep purple-black in color and opens with wild blueberries, black raspberries and dried herbs with hints of dusty soil and black pepper. The palate is full-bodied, concentrated and firm with nice purity and freshness, finishing long.

— Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate

Rated (95-97) Pts. Moving to the barrel samples, winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown commented that how an estate handled the Labor Day heat wave was more important than the fires, and I can certainly say they’ve succeeded admirably. Starting with the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon GIII Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard, it offers a full-bodied, ripe, sweetly fruited, even flamboyant style as well as loads of spice-laced red and blue fruits, incense, and subtle floral notes. It’s balanced, with fine tannins and a great finish.

Rated 97+ Pts. The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon GIII is deep garnet-purple in color with boisterous black fruits notes of crushed blackberries, warm black plums and blackcurrant cordial with touches of cedar chest, roses, tilled black soil and tar plus a waft of cloves. The palate is big, rich, full and packed with black fruit preserves and exotic spice notions with a velvety frame and a very long finish.

— Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate

Rated 98 Pts. From a famous valley floor site that’s always one of the first to ripen, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon GIII Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard (100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged in 90% new French oak) offers incredible purity and finesse as well as a kaleidoscope of crème de cassis, exotic flowers, graphite, and forest floor. It’s deep, has building, sweet tannins, no hard edges, and again, this fabulous purity and floral character that develops with time in the glass. It will benefit from short-term cellaring and should evolve for three decades. My money is on it being the finest version of this cuvée ever made.

Rated 97 Pts. Coming from the Beckstoffer Georges III vineyard, the very deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon GIII bursts forth with an outrageously spicy nose of Chinese five spice and aniseed with a core of crème de cassis, blueberry pie, menthol and chocolate box plus a waft of bay leaves. Medium to full-bodied, rich, ripe and decadent on the palate, it fills the mouth with exotic spice layers and warm black fruits, framed by velvety tannins and great freshness, finishing with epic persistence.

— Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate

Rated 92 Pts. Plump, rich and juicy, with loads of dark berry flavors centered on black licorice and cigar box notes. Tannins grip the finish, so cellar this. Best from 2021 through 2032.

— James Laube, Wine Spectator

Rated 97 Pts. Moving to the 2015s, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard is a thick, unctuous, huge beauty that gives up a deep purple color as well as lots of blueberry, violets, and incense. It’s deep, full-bodied, beautifully concentrated and has silky tannin, which is the hallmark of the 2015s from Schrader. It’s capable of lasting for 20-25 years or more.

Rated 95 Pts. The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon GIII is a 213-case cuvée aged in the same manner as the other wines, for 20 months, but in this case in 90% new Darnajou and 10% new Taransaud barrels. Readers will note that the percentage of the coopers varies depending on the vineyard selection. This is an inky blue/purple wine with fabulous crème de cassis notes, spring flowers, a medium to full body, supple tannins and a more fruit-forward, luscious and precocious style than usual. This is probably best consumed in its first 16-20 years of life.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rated 92 Pts. Dill, cedary oak and light loamy earth notes are present in the aroma and the mix of gravel, dried dark berry, anise and sage at the core. Shows a musclebound structure on the aftertaste, where this gains depth. Drink now through 2032.

— James Laube, Wine Spectator

Rated 97 Pts. Aromas of walnuts and dried fruit as well as violets and forest floor. Full body, velvety tannins and a flavorful finish. This is layered and very rich yet remains vibrant and velvety. A solid and powerful Napa cab. Drink in 2019.

Rated 97 Pts. The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer George III Vineyard, which comes from the Beckstoffer-owned vineyard in Rutherford and clone 337, exhibits an opaque purple color and a beautiful nose of creosote, graphite, charcoal, blackberry and blueberry. It’s dense, full-bodied and opulent, with great acidity and sweet, well-integrated tannins. It is approachable now, but promises to be at its best with another 7-8 years of bottle age and last 25-30 years.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rated 94 Pts. Immense, featuring a dense, dark, extracted core of graphite, crushed rock, licorice and dark berry flavors, with gritty tannins. Shows no slack, yet this smoothes out on the finish, revealing polish and finesse. Best from 2020 through 2030.

— James Laube, Wine Spectator

Rated 97 Pts. This is a chewy and powerful red with lots of tannins. Aromas of dried flowers, grape skin and currants. Full body, chewy texture. Refreshing with coolness. Needs so much time in the bottle. Try in 2022.

Rated 96 Pts. The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard, from this famous vineyard in Rutherford, is made from Cabernet Sauvignon Clone 337, and 90% new Darnajou and 10% new Taransaud was used. One of the smaller cuveés, the wine has great intensity, with chocolaty cassis notes, fruitcake and forest floor along with licorice and spice. This is a big full-bodied, powerful, rich, yet accessible style of wine, as most 2012s tend to be. Drink it over the next 15-20 years.

Rated 96 Pts. The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer George III Vineyard, made from clone 337, had a total production of 110 cases (compared to 260+ for the 2012). Its gorgeous nose reveals aromas of creme de cassis, blueberries, raspberries, vanillin and notions of cedarwood as well as incense. Deep and full-bodied with fabulous purity, a hallmark of all these wines, this spectacular 2010 has plenty of structure, but the fruit intensity and richness largely obscure the wine’s tannic profile. This beauty will be drinkable in several years and keep for 30 years.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rated 95 Pts. A powerful yet graceful Cabernet that's big, rich, chewy and chunky, with tiers of mocha, dark berry, spice and cedar flavors. This packs a wallop and isn't shy about tannins, so best to be patient.

Rated 95 Pts. The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon GIII Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard Clone 337 is a gorgeous, dark wine bursting with black fruit, leather, licorice and tar. The Georges III is dark, plush and totally inviting, with a seamless quality to the tannin that is striking for such a young wine. This is the most suave and accessible of the 2009s. If I were tempted to open a very young 2009 Schrader, this would be the bottle. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2024.

Rated 97 Pts. From the reviews I gave Schrader's 2007s and 2008s last year and the 2005s and 2006s previously, to the recent Wine Spectator cover story on Fred and Carol Schrader, there doesn't appear to be a hotter Cabernet Sauvignon producer in the New World than this small boutique winery. Their wines have already received four perfect scores and with this report, that grows to six... The wines are incredibly expressive examples of Cabernet Sauvignon that are as good as it gets for this varietal. Of course they are more similar than dissimilar, but I suspect virtually every vintage they have produced to date has 25-40 years of cellaring potential, and long term aging should produce more and more subtle differences to support this compulsive study of clones and parcels within a given vineyard. I'll try and keep my notes simple, but these are profoundly great, world-class wines.

The 2008s were bottled in early summer, 2010. From the Beckstoffer Vineyard, the opaque blue/purple-colored 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon George III Clone 337 rocks out of the glass with brilliant aromas of creme de cassis, Christmas fruitcake, cedarwood, licorice and incense. The wine is deep, full-bodied, dense and concentrated with outstanding purity, texture and length. It is approachable now (one of the seductive characteristics of these wines) yet is capable of lasting 25 or more years.

Rated 97+ Pts. The 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer George III Vineyard comes from clone 337, from a Beckstoffer-owned vineyard in Rutherford. Its dense purple color is followed by a big, sweet nose of black cherries, black currants, cedar, spice box, and subtle oak. Enormously concentrated and full-bodied with superb minerality as well as tannic structure, it will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age, and should evolve for three decades.

Rated 96 Pts. As I wrote last year, this is a fascinating portfolio of 100% Cabernet Sauvignons all of them from Beckstoffer-owned vineyards, including the To-Kalon Vineyard in Oakville, and one wine from the George III Vineyard in Rutherford. All the wines are aged in 100% new French oak, usually a combination of Darnajou and Taransaud barrels, with a higher percentage of Darnajou used for the T6, CCS, Old Sparky, and Schrader. The different bottlings are essentially based on specific blocks and/or specific clones of Cabernet Sauvignon. In short, I think the 2006s are arguably the finest wines of the vintage, and the 2007s appear to be as profound.

The 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer George III Vineyard offers an extraordinary bouquet of creme de cassis, scorched earth, and burning embers as well as full-bodied power, velvety tannins, and exceptional density and richness. This superb wine exhibits layered extravagance and sweet tannins, a rarity in this vintage. It is already drinking well.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rated 95 Pts. Seductive in its overlay of rich, concentrated flavors, with enticing jazzy toasty-creamy oak draped over rich currant, black cherry and blackberry fruit that's tight and focused. Ends with mouthcoating ripe tannins that have great traction. Best from 2010 through 2018.

Rated (96-99) Pts. Lastly, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon LPV Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard (which is also the base for the Colesworthy release) is pulled all from Block C and is clone 337, still aging in a mix of new Darnajou and Taransaud barrels. It’s a deep, rich, serious wine that has a huge nose of black, black fruits, graphite, crushed rocks, and chocolate. It doesn’t pull any punches on the palate either and is full-bodied, deep, dense, and straight-up bad ass. It’s an awesome wine in the making, but as with a few of these other 2017s, short-term cellaring is going to be the name of the game.

Rated 98+ Pts. There are two wines from this rocky site located on the western edge of St. Helena, which was purchased by the Beckstoffer family in 1983. Looking first at the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon LPV Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard, which is 100% clone 337 Cabernet Sauvignon aged in new oak, it has a dense, backward style as well as insane minerality in its full-bodied aromas and flavors of black fruits, dark chocolate, violets, and earth. Locked and loaded on the palate, it has a layered, multi-dimensional texture, yet is certainly one of the more backward releases. Don’t think about opening bottles for at least 3-5 years.

— Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

2015 Schrader LPV — WA 98+ WS 95 JD 98

2015 Schrader LPV Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 98+ Pts. Coming from the Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard, from blocks C and E that are planted to clones 337 and 4, respectively, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Lpv has a very deep garnet-purple color and nose of crushed black berries, black currant cordial and garrigue with wafts of sage, mocha and cedar chest plus a hint of lavender. Medium to full-bodied, very firm and very tightly knit, the palate reveals great elegance and sophistication, with slowly revealing layers and a lovely minerality coming through on the long finish. 2,017 cases produced.

— Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate

Rated 95 Pts. Openly rich and fruity, with a dense core of supple blackberry, plum and cherry fruit shaded by spicy oak notes that add flavor and texture, gliding along gracefully on the aftertaste. Best from 2020 through 2033.

— James Laube, Wine Spectator

Rated 98 Pts. From a site in St. Helena, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard LPV offers a slightly darker, blacker, earthier style to go with tons of blue fruits, black cherries, crushed rock, and chocolate. It picks up a touch of white flowers with time in the glass and is seamless, pure, full-bodied, and structured on the palate. This is another terrific, blockbuster effort from Thomas Brown that’s going to benefit from 3-4 years of bottle age and cruise in the cellar for 20+ years.

— Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

2014 Schrader LPV — WA 99 WS 97 JS 97

2014 Schrader LPV Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 99 Pts. The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon LPV is from clone 337 from the Las Piedras Vineyard in St. Helena. This shows Mission Haut-Brion-like characteristics as it has in the past, with crushed rock, wet gravel, scorched earth, blackberry and blueberry fruit. It is clearly one of my favorites of this entire tasting. It has 14.5% natural alcohol and was aged in 90% new Darnajou and 10% new Taransaud barrels. This is a killer effort.

Rated 97 Pts. A profound nose of crushed blueberries, blackberries and minerals. Licorice, too. Full body, superfine tannins and a long, long finish. Linear and racy. Wonderful balance and structure. Leave it until at least 2020.

— James Suckling, Jamessuckling.com

2013 Schrader LPV — WA 94 WS 94 JS 97

2013 Schrader LPV Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 94 Pts. The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Lpv comes from clone 337. This is a rather earthy style for a Schrader wine, with less drama and flamboyance, but great fruit, a more meaty, dusty style with underbrush as well as blackcurrants, with spicy oak. It’s dense, full-bodied and promises to age nicely for 20 more years.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rated 94 Pts. Offers a powerful, extracted, high-torque core of zesty blackberry, wild berry, anise, licorice and crushed rock flavors. Sails a steady course once underway, ending where it starts, with a dense mix of complex earth and berry notes. Best from 2020 through 2033.

Rated 94 Pts. The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard LPV is black/ruby, shows lots of charcoal, scorched earth and an almost Graves-on-steroids personality. Deep blueberry and blackberry fruit, a hint of coffee and chocolate are all present in this impressive, very different style of Cabernet Sauvignon from Schrader. This is Clone 337, planted in a St. Helena vineyard.

Rated 93 Pts. Schrader’s newest offering is the 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard LPV, which comes from clone 337 of the Las Piedras site. This is a west side valley floor vineyard with a foundation of alluvial river pebbles and rocks as well as gravelly loam. The Schraders have a long-term lease on 5 acres, which, added to their 16 acres of Beckstoffer To Kalon and 5 acres of Beckstoffer George III, gives them some pretty serious leases on some of the finest terroirs in Napa Valley. The softest wine of this portfolio, there are 350 cases of the 2011 LPV, far less than the 600 cases produced in 2012. Given its warm micro-climated, these grapes were picked before the rains descended. The wine exhibits a dark ruby/purple color, supple tannins, and sweet red and black currants, licorice, Christmas fruitcake, incense and forest floor. This beautiful, medium-bodied 2011 is already complex and evolved. Drink it over the next 10-15 years.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

SCHRADER MB

2017 Schrader MB — WA (93-95) JD (94-96)

2017 Schrader MB Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated (93-95) Pts. A barrel sample, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Monastery Block is deep garnet-purple and has a nose of warm blackberries, preserved plums and mulberries with an earthy/savory undercurrent of smoked mates, chargrill, roasted nuts and sautéed herbs. The palate is medium to full-bodied, firm and concentrated, with nice ripe, grainy tannins and great concentration, finishing long and earthy.

— Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate

Rated (94-96) Pts. Coming from the To Kalon vineyard, yet from the 3-acre Monastery Block owned by the estate of Robert Mondavi, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Monastery Block is all clone 169 of Cabernet and is aging in 100% new Darnajou barrels. It has a more focused, structured style compared to the Beckstoffer grown fruit and offers impressive amounts of cassis, graphite, new leather, and crushed rocks, with a Pauillac-like stature compared to the more overt sexiness of the other cuvées. With full-bodied richness, a deep, layered texture, and no shortage of length or richness, it’s going to benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and evolve gracefully.

— Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

SCHRADER RBS

2017 Schrader RBS — WA (92-95) JD (94-96)

2017 Schrader RBS Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated (92-95) Pts. A barrel sample, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon RBS To Kalon Vineyard is deep purple-black colored with lovely kirsch, fresh blackcurrants, lifted lilacs and dried Provence herbs with wafts of rose hip tea and cinnamon stick. The palate is medium to full-bodied, refreshing and with nice harmony even at this early stage, finishing with great vibrancy.

— Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate

Rated (94-96) Pts. The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon RBS Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard has slightly more freshness as well as pretty notes of blue fruits, violets, and underbrush, with full-bodied richness and building tannins on the palate. Elegant, seamless, and cutting a straight line across the palate, it’s going to benefit from short-term cellaring.

— Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

2016 Schrader RBS — WA 97+ JD 97

2016 Schrader RBS Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 97+ Pts. Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon RBS gives beautiful scents of lilacs and dried lavender over wild blueberries, chocolate-covered cherries, blackberry pie and eucalyptus with a touch of pencil shavings. Full-bodied and built like a brick house, it has a solid frame of grainy tannins and plenty of freshness to lift the densely packed, muscular fruit, finishing very long.

— Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate

Rated 97 Pts. The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon RBS Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard comes from another Beckstoffer-owned vineyard, purchased from Beaulieu in 1993. This larger site is located on the western side of Oakville, with the Beckstoffers owning a key tenderloin section encompassing just over 80 acres. This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon offers a sweet bouquet of black cherry cake, incense, crème de cassis, and chocolate. Beautifully concentrated, with terrific tannins and full-bodied richness and depth, it’s another 2016 that will benefit from short-term cellaring.

— Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

2015 Schrader RBS — WA 98+ WS 93 JD 98

2015 Schrader RBS Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 98+ Pts. Coming from the Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard, blocks B1, B2 and E2 planted to clone 337, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon RBS has a very deep purple-black color and is a little reticent to begin, offering glimpses at crushed black berries, black cherries and black currants with touches of cedar chest, pencil lead, dark chocolate and dusty earth with a waft of cinnamon stick. Medium to full-bodied and tautly structured with rock-solid, firm, grainy tannins and seamless freshness supporting the muscular fruit, it finishes on a lingering earthy note. Forget this one over the next 4-5 years, and drink it over the next 25+.

— Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate

Rated 93 Pts. Features a plush texture and firm, fine-grained tannins, making for a tasty mix of flavors and structure, with the fruit surging through the core of blackberry and wild berry. Best from 2021 through 2032.

— James Laube, Wine Spectator

Rated 98 Pts. All from clone 337 and from three different blocks in the To Kolan Vineyard in Oakville, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard RBS is one of the larger production cuvee they make and there’s just over 1,000 cases in 2015. Crème de cassis, iodine, flowers, huge spice, and loads of dried herbs all emerge from this thrilling effort that has the full-bodied opulence of the vintage front and center. Despite it’s massive about of fruit, it stays light and graceful and is an undeniably sexy wine to drink over the coming two decades.

— Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

2014 Schrader RBS — WA 96 WS 94 JS 96

2014 Schrader RBS Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 96 Pts. The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon RBS is made from the same clone (337) as the Georges III, but comes from the To Kalon Vineyard in Oakville and not the Rutherford Georges III. This was aged in 85% new Darnajou and 15% new Taransaud. It has fabulous concentration, notes of incense, licorice, blackcurrants, blackberries, as well as spring flowers. The wine is juicy, savory and full-bodied, with wonderful underlying energy and freshness. This wine is a more forward style than we saw with the 2013s, and is best drunk over the next 16-20 years.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rated 94 Pts. Masters richness, with finesse and refinement. This is a beauty built of deep dark fruit and toasty, vanilla-scented oak, maintaining weight and focus while showing off flashes of elegance and polish. Most impressive on the finish, where the flavors linger. Drink now through 2032.

— James Laube, Wine Spectator

Rated 96 Pts. Lots of plum and walnut character in addition to hints of mushrooms and violets. Full-bodied, rich and layered with blueberry and blackberry flavors. Give it a few years to soften. Better in 2019.

— James Suckling, Jamessuckling.com

2013 Schrader RBS — WA 98 WS 93 JS 99

2013 Schrader RBS Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 98 Pts. The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon RBS, also from clone 337, but in this case from the Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard, shows an absolutely perfect 100-point nose of red, black and blue fruits, charcoal, graphite and forest floor. It hits the palate with a seamless integration of wood, tannin, acidity and alcohol and has tremendous opulence and palate presence in its full-bodied, long finish. On aromatics alone, it rates a perfect score, but I ended up being somewhat conservative I suppose. It should drink well for three decades as well.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rated 93 Pts. A smoky, charry oak overlay adds flavor and aroma, rounding out the tannins in this robust, chunky effort, with extracted licorice, blackberry, anise, loamy earth and tobacco details. Very tight and backward, so patience is required. Best from 2020 through 2033.

— James Laube, Wine Spectator

Rated 99 Pts. This is shows complex aromas of chili, red tile and red currant aromas. Full-bodied, dense and powerful. It is so intense and rich yet remains agile and fresh. Austere tannins give this wine form and tension. Lively and captivating. Beautiful now but be patient. Better in 2021.

— James Suckling, Jamessuckling.com

2012 Schrader RBS — WA 98 WS 92

2012 Schrader RBS Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 98 Pts. The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard RBS, which is also from Clone 337 but from different blocks on the Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard, saw oak with 90% new Darnajou and 10% new Taransaud. This wine seems slightly more expansive, shares the black ruby/purple color with all of it siblings, and has a boatload of crème de cassis, incense, licorice, graphite and vanilla along with plenty of spice box and forest floor. This is a killer, full-bodied, super-duper, opulent Cabernet Sauvignon to drink over the next 20 years.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rated 92 Pts. Taut, detailed and tightly wound, with a firm band of cedar, herb, green olive and gravelly earth, accented by dark berry and cedary oak. Tasted twice with consistent notes. Drink now through 2026.

— James Laube, Wine Spectator

2011 Schrader RBS — WA 91 WS 91

2011 Schrader RBS Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 91 Pts. The 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard RBS is lighter than usual, but still very attractive, forward and endearing ... one of the positives in 2011. The color is a healthy dark ruby/purple and the wine is clean, with no herbaceous or mean green characteristics. This elegant, medium-bodied 2011 is ideal for drinking over the next 10-12 years.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rated 91 Pts. Dense and powerful, with potent fresh earth and rocky, gravel pit touches, overshadowing the dried dark berry, licorice and spice notes. Ends with depth and length even as the tannins apply the brakes. Drink now through 2023.

— James Laube, Wine Spectator

2010 Schrader RBS — WA 99 WS 96

2010 Schrader RBS Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 99 Pts. Flirting with perfection, the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard RBS from clone 337 was aged in new Darnajou barrels (80%) and the rest in new Taransaud barrels. There were 410 cases produced, which is several hundred cases less than the production in 2012. An unbelievable red wine, it boasts an inky/purple color as well as abundant notes of charcoal, white chocolate, toast, new saddle leather, blueberries, blackberries, creme de cassis and licorice. As the wine sits in the glass, some chocolaty, smoky elements also emerge. This virtually perfect Cabernet Sauvignon has been flawlessly made and should age effortlessly for 25-30+ years.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rated 96 Pts. Combines power with finesse, though at this point the torque wins out, pushing this into overdrive. Tiers of spice, flowers and dark and red berry, with notes of licorice, flow before the tannins clamp down, giving the wine a chewy aftertaste. Ends with a teasing lift. Best from 2016 through 2030.

— James Laube, Wine Spectator

2009 Schrader RBS — WA 96 WS 95

2009 Schrader RBS Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 96 Pts. The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon RBS Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard comes across as dark, plush and inviting, but with greater inner focus and minerality than some of the other wines here. Graphite, smoke, tar and licorice are some of the notes that wrap around the intense, juicy finish. I especially admire the way the RBS grows in the glass as it turns more explosive over time, yet never loses its more refined shades of expression. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2024.

Rated 97 Pts. From the reviews I gave Schrader's 2007s and 2008s last year and the 2005s and 2006s previously, to the recent Wine Spectator cover story on Fred and Carol Schrader, there doesn't appear to be a hotter Cabernet Sauvignon producer in the New World than this small boutique winery. Their wines have already received four perfect scores and with this report, that grows to six... The wines are incredibly expressive examples of Cabernet Sauvignon that are as good as it gets for this varietal. Of course they are more similar than dissimilar, but I suspect virtually every vintage they have produced to date has 25-40 years of cellaring potential, and long term aging should produce more and more subtle differences to support this compulsive study of clones and parcels within a given vineyard. I'll try and keep my notes simple, but these are profoundly great, world-class wines.

The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon RBS from Clone 337 planted in the Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vineyard reveals a similar blue/purple color offers a big, sweet kiss of burning embers, charcoal, white chocolate, subtle toast, and oodles of creme de cassis and incense. This expressive, full-bodied, powerful wine is seamlessly constructed, shows little evidence of the 100% new oak aging, and like most of its peers, has a 45-second finish. It is slightly more exotic aromatically, but from a textural and concentration perspective, it is similar to its peers.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rated 97 Pts. Delightfully elegant and refined, showing both richness, opulence and depth of flavor with a measure of loamy earth, mineral and light cedar. Full-bodied and persistent, ending with chewy, extracted fruit and a rustic edge, appropriate for such a young wine. Drink now through 2023.

— James Laube, Wine Spectator

2007 Schrader RBS — WA 99 WS 99

2007 Schrader RBS Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 99 Pts. The outrageous 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vineyard RBS from clone 337 blew out my olfactory senses. Possessing extraordinarily intense notes of lead pencil shavings, camphor, licorice, creme de cassis, kirsch, and crushed rocks, it exhibits full body, awesome intensity, terrific purity, and a mind-boggling finish. If Pauillac were somehow magically moved to the Oakville Corridor in Napa, tasters would believe this wine came from a first-growth Pauillac. Although it is more forward than the George III, the RBS will benefit from 4-5 years of cellaring, and will keep for 30+ years.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rated 99 Pts. An extraordinary effort that exhibits an enormously complex mix of ripe cherry, plum and blackberry fruit and jam, with touches of black and red licorice and dusty, cedary, mocha-laced oak. Full-bodied, yet elegant and sophisticated, ending with a dazzling finish and beautifully orchestrated fruit and oak. Best from 2012 through 2026.

— James Laube, Wine Spectator

2006 Schrader RBS — WA 99

2006 Schrader RBS Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 99 Pts. Nearly perfect, the opaque purple-colored 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To-Kalon RBS reveals notes of graphite, charcoal, blackberries, cedar, creme de cassis, and a hint of chocolate. Oodles of concentration, remarkable purity and density, and a finish that lasts over 60 seconds suggest this beauty should drink well for 20-25 years.

As I wrote last year, this is a fascinating portfolio of 100% Cabernet Sauvignons all of them from Beckstoffer-owned vineyards, including the To-Kalon Vineyard in Oakville, and one wine from the George III Vineyard in Rutherford. All the wines are aged in 100% new French oak, usually a combination of Darnajou and Taransaud barrels, with a higher percentage of Darnajou used for the T6, CCS, Old Sparky, and Schrader. The different bottlings are essentially based on specific blocks and/or specific clones of Cabernet Sauvignon. In short, I think the 2006s are arguably the finest wines of the vintage, and the 2007s appear to be as profound.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

2005 Schrader RBS — WA 96 WS 94

2005 Schrader RBS Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 96 Pts. This wine exhibits notes of underbrush, forest floor, fresh black and red currants, spicy oak, density, richness, and a supple and velvety texture. This seems to be the most evolved and precocious of the five cuvées, and probably will be the one that most consumers will prefer drinking today. However, don’t discount its aging potential, as it certainly has two decades left in it.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rated 94 Pts. Young and vibrant, with tight, zesty layers of wild berry, currant, hazelnut and nutmeg scents that are firm and compact. Finishes with a rich, plush texture. Has great complexity and depth.

— James Laube, Wine Spectator

2004 Schrader RBS — WA 99 WS 96

2004 Schrader RBS Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 99 Pts. The 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon RBS, made from clone 337 and aged 20 months in a combination of Darnajou and Taransaud barrels, hit 14.5% natural alcohol. This wine shows the classic Pauillac nose of cedarwood, creme de cassis, licorice and fruitcake. It is fresh, full-bodied, ripe and long and is already starting to come into its late adolescence — meaning it can be drunk now or continue to be cellared for another 15-20 years.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rated 96 Pts. Aromas of chocolate-covered cherry join currant, herb, cedar and spice in this sleek, polished youngster. Lush and smooth on the palate, it offers depth and concentration without weight. Shows a hint of heat on the finish. Tannins are ripe and integrated.

— James Laube, Wine Spectator

2003 Schrader RBS — WA 97

2003 Schrader RBS Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 97 Pts. The closest to full maturity and farthest along in its evolution appears to be the 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon RBS Beckstoffer To- Kalon Vineyard. Notes of pen ink, creosote, tar, black currants and Christmas fruitcake jump from the glass of this dense ruby/purple-colored effort, which is showing less color saturation than its three siblings. Full-bodied and ripe with soft tannins, good freshness and liveliness, there is no reason to defer your gratification. It is an intense, mouthfilling, terrific, young Cabernet Sauvignon that should continue to drink well for 10-15 years.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

2002 Schrader RBS — WA 100

2002 Schrader RBS Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 100 Pts. The closest to full maturity and farthest along in its evolution appears to be the 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon RBS Beckstoffer To- Kalon Vineyard. Notes of pen ink, creosote, tar, black currants and Christmas fruitcake jump from the glass of this dense ruby/purple-colored effort, which is showing less color saturation than its three siblings. Full-bodied and ripe with soft tannins, good freshness and liveliness, there is no reason to defer your gratification. It is an intense, mouthfilling, terrific, young Cabernet Sauvignon that should continue to drink well for 10-15 years.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

2001 Schrader RBS — WA 96+

2001 Schrader RBS Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 96+ Pts. In fact, the 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon RBS tastes more like a 3-4 year old wine than one that has a decade of aging. Still tightly constructed, it offers notes of spring flowers, blueberries, black currants, lead pencil shavings and pen ink. This full-bodied, deep, concentrated, stunning, intense, rich, fullthrottle 2001 is also wonderfully pure and elegant with outstanding balance. Give it another 4-5 years of cellaring and drink it over the next 25 years.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

SCHRADER T6

2017 Schrader T6 — WA (94-96) JD (96-98)

2017 Schrader T6 Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated (94-96) Pts. A barrel sample, the deep garnet-purple colored 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard T6 features stewed plums, spice box, crème de cassis and unsmoked cigars with touches of Christmas cake and sandalwood. The palate is medium to full-bodied and super spicy in the mouth with chewy tannins and a very long finish.

— Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate

Rated (96-98) Pts. The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon T6 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is brilliant, with rocking levels of blueberries, cherry pie, incense, and blood orange all emerging from the glass. With full-bodied richness, a seamless texture, awesome tannin quality, and a more rounded, sexy profile, it will be more approachable than the RBS release yet should age just as well. It’s a beautiful wine. This cuvée also normally makes up the backbone of the Old Sparky release.

— Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

2016 Schrader T6 — WA 98 JD 98+

2016 Schrader T6 Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 98 Pts. Very deep purple-black colored, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard T6 has a gregarious nose of Chinese five spice, cardamom, menthol and cigar box over a core of crème de cassis, Black Forest cake and blueberry compote with a waft of potpourri. Full-bodied, rich, spicy and oh-so-decadent in the mouth, it has a firm yet plush frame and an epically long, spicy finish.

— Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate

Rated (98+) Pts. The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon T6 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is more structured and savory, with an incredibly bloody, iron-like character that gives way to awesome notes of incense, spice, tobacco leaf, and black cherry and cassis fruits. Aged 20 months in 95% new oak, this dense, meaty, blockbuster effort needs to be forgotten for at least 5-6 years, at which point it should cruise for 25-30 years. It’s a killer bottle of wine.

Rated 93 Pts. Plush, rich fruit rises to the top of this opulent offering, with layers of blackberry, dusty, loamy earth and spicy, cedary oak flavors, backed by a firm mix of tannins and spice. Best from 2021 through 2032.

— James Laube, Wine Spectator

Rated 99 Pts. Flirting with perfection, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard T6 comes all from clone 6 (there are less than 4 acres of clone 6 planted) and is always the last cuvee to be harvested. The 2015 has sensational purity as well as full-bodied, decadent notes of crème de cassis and black berry fruit, loads of mocha, scorched earth, spice and salty nuances, sweet, sweet tannin, not a hard edge to be found, and a blockbuster finish. Like all of Brown’s 2015s, it’s packed with fruit, yet its purity and balance are off the charts.

— Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

2014 Schrader T6 — WA 98 WS 94 JS 95

2014 Schrader T6 Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 98 Pts. The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon T6 was one of my super-favorites of the 2014s. Slightly higher in alcohol at 14.7%, compared to the RBS at 14.4% and the GIII at 14.3%, it is a kick-ass Cabernet Sauvignon, with a sexy display of black fruits, licorice, camphor, graphite and background oak. This is from clone 6 of the To Kalon Vineyard aged in 95% new Darnajou and 5% Taransaud barrels. So, as readers can see, the differences are minor, indeed. However, they are slightly different wines. This is a bold, opulent wine and one of my favorites of the 2014s. Drink it over the next 20 years.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rated 94 Pts. A little ragged and rustic around the edges, with a solid core of rich, dense, extracted dark berry fruit, shaded by black licorice and toasty oak notes. Though the tannins are a challenge now, this wine should round out nicely. Best from 2019 through 2033.

— James Laube, Wine Spectator

Rated 95 Pts. Aromas of blackberries, minerals, licorice and dried violets follow through to a full body, big and juicy tannins and loads of fruit. Dense and powerful. Lightly austere finish. Shows power and muscle. Try in 2022.

— James Suckling, Jamessuckling.com

2013 Schrader T6 — WA 98 WS 94 JS 96

2013 Schrader T6 Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 98 Pts. The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon T6, which is clone 6, offers more barbecue smoke, roasted meats and oodles of creme de cassis and blackberry. It is rich, full-bodied, intense, and stunningly pure and well-balanced. This is another tour de force from the Schraders and Thomas Rivers Brown. It should drink well for 25-30 years as well.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rated 94 Pts. A mix of spicy, jazzy mocha, vanilla and espresso notes from oak are evident at the outset, with a core of licorice, dark and red berry, chocolate, savory herb and underbrush flavors. Flexes considerable tannic strength on the finish. Best from 2020 through 2034.

Rated 95 Pts. The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard T6, which is from Clone 6 in a different block of Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard, is aged in 86% new Darnajou and 14% new Taransaud. This wine is not terribly different, but Clone 6 is believed to be old Bordeaux clones brought over to Napa Valley and propagated. The wine has terrific fruit intensity, blackcurrants, blackberry, licorice, creosote and espresso roast. Deep, full-bodied, powerful and rich, this, again, shows the vintage’s voluptuous texture, full-bodied power and richness.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rated 95 Pts. Steadily builds from a tight, rich core of mocha-laced currant and blackberry to a broader, more expansive mix that folds in creamy, toasty, mocha-laced oak, unfolding to reveal tiers of flavor and nuance.

— James Laube, Wine Spectator

2011 Schrader T6 — WA 93 WS 93

2011 Schrader T6 Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 93 Pts. The 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard T6 is slightly riper and richer than the RBS with plenty of toasty oak intermixed with lead pencil shavings, cedarwood, baking spices, plums and black currants. Medium to full-bodied, ripe and delicious with 14.6% alcohol (slightly higher than the 2010), it should drink well for 10-12 years.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rated 93 Pts. Tight, dense and layered, with red berry, blackberry, anise, floral, cedar and mineral notes that lend this a wide range of lingering flavors. Perhaps the most complex and aromatic of the 2011 Schraders. Drink now through 2023.

— James Laube, Wine Spectator

2010 Schrader T6 — WA 93 WS 96

2010 Schrader T6 Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 93 Pts. The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard T6 is a small step down from the George III and RBS, although it is still an outstanding wine. Rich, smoky and pretty, but slightly less impressive without the enormous stuffing, multiple dimensions and richness of its siblings. Nevertheless, this beauty offers lots of spring flower, licorice, black currant, forest floor, cedarwood and unsmoked cigar tobacco-like characteristics. From clone 6, it was aged 20 months in 90% new Darnajou barrels and 10% new Taransaud barrels.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rated 96 Pts. Tightly wound, intense and potent, with explosive dark berry, spice, cedar and mocha flavors. Among the most closed and backward of the 2010 Schraders, this nonetheless delivers Napa Cabernet's proverbial iron fist in a velvet glove. Best from 2015 through 2030.

— James Laube, Wine Spectator

2009 Schrader T6 — WA 97 WS 97

2009 Schrader T6 Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 97 Pts. The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon T6 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is another big, implosive wine bursting with dark blackberries, blueberries, tar, smoke, licorice and graphite. Layers of fruit build effortlessly to the huge, polished finish. The T6 has it all – fruit and structure. This is a marvelously complete wine that should drink well out of the gate, yet also appears to have the stuffing to last for years. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2029.

— Antonio Galloni, The Wine Advocate

Rated 97 Pts. Pure, rich, dense and structured, with a mix of loamy earth, cedar, gravel and dark berry fruit that echoes mocha, melted black licorice, anise and espresso. Tightens nicely on the finish, where the tannins flex their strength. Best from 2014 through 2031.

— James Laube, Wine Spectator

2008 Schrader T6 — WA 99 WS 96

2008 Schrader T6 Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 99 Pts. From the reviews I gave Schrader's 2007s and 2008s last year and the 2005s and 2006s previously, to the recent Wine Spectator cover story on Fred and Carol Schrader, there doesn't appear to be a hotter Cabernet Sauvignon producer in the New World than this small boutique winery. Their wines have already received four perfect scores and with this report, that grows to six... The wines are incredibly expressive examples of Cabernet Sauvignon that are as good as it gets for this varietal. Of course they are more similar than dissimilar, but I suspect virtually every vintage they have produced to date has 25-40 years of cellaring potential, and long term aging should produce more and more subtle differences to support this compulsive study of clones and parcels within a given vineyard. I'll try and keep my notes simple, but these are profoundly great, world-class wines.

The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon T6 (Clone 6) could be given a perfect score, it's that special. All of this is like splitting hairs, but this opaque purple-colored wine offers up lavish, luxurious notes of blueberries, black raspberries, black currants, licorice, cedar and grilled herbs. Extremely dense and opulent with a voluptuous texture, it has layer upon layer of fruit and depth, and a mindboggling finish that had me shaking my head in awe. Sadly, this amazing wine has the most limited production of all the Schrader wines. 150 cases.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rated 96 Pts. Offers delicious purity of fruit, with enticing floral and fresh berry scents that are rich and seamless, elegant and refined, gaining a nice tannic traction and ending with a long, lingering, detailed finish that has a loamy earth aftertaste. Best from 2013 through 2024.

— James Laube, Wine Spectator

2007 Schrader T6 — WA 99 WS 97+

2007 Schrader T6 Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 99 Pts. The 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vineyard T6 (clone 6) undergoes a barrel aging regime of 20 months in 90% new Darnajou and 10% new Taransaud barrels. More backward and tightly-knit than the RBS, it offers hints of charcoal, burning embers, blackberries, and cassis in its tannic, powerful, structured personality. In short, none of these 2007s lack structure or concentration, but the T6 should not be touched for at least 7-8 years. It is a brilliant effort boasting super purity, texture, length, and concentration that is capable of 30+ years of evolution.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rated 97+ Pts. Shows fantastic aromas of creamy mocha- and espresso-laced oak, with a beam of perfectly ripe plum, blackberry and raspberry flavors that are tight, pure and focused, joined by complex layers of loamy earth, mineral, cedar and sage, all folding together on the finish in a beautiful tapestry of flavors. Amazing length. Best from 2012 through 2026.

— James Laube, Wine Spectator

2006 Schrader T6 — WA 98 WS 99

2006 Schrader T6 Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 98 Pts. The similarly-styled 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To-Kalon T6 displays extraordinary focus and precision along with lavish amounts of creme de cassis fruit intermixed with smoked herbs, milk chocolate, and burning embers. Powerful yet silky-textured and sumptuously rich, this is another stunner to drink over the next 20-25 years.

As I wrote last year, this is a fascinating portfolio of 100% Cabernet Sauvignons all of them from Beckstoffer-owned vineyards, including the To-Kalon Vineyard in Oakville, and one wine from the George III Vineyard in Rutherford. All the wines are aged in 100% new French oak, usually a combination of Darnajou and Taransaud barrels, with a higher percentage of Darnajou used for the T6, CCS, Old Sparky, and Schrader. The different bottlings are essentially based on specific blocks and/or specific clones of Cabernet Sauvignon. In short, I think the 2006s are arguably the finest wines of the vintage, and the 2007s appear to be as profound.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rated 99 Pts. A masterpiece. Capturing currant and blackberry fruit at the zenith of ripeness, this is smooth, plush and layered, with a mix of mocha, black cherry, currant and wild berry all flowing together in a steady stream. Firms up nicely on the finish, yet the flavors keep rushing through. Best from 2010 through 2018.

— James Laube, Wine Spectator

2005 Schrader T6 — WA 97 WS 97

2005 Schrader T6 Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Rated 97 Pts. The 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon T6 is 100% Clone 6, came in at 14.7% alcohol, and was aged in 100% new Darnajou barrels. It reveals a different character, with notes of charcoal and espresso roast, white chocolate, new saddle leather and a meaty, dense, full-bodied mouthfeel. This is spectacular and terrific stuff.

Rated 99 Pts. Virtually perfect, the 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon T6 Beckstoffer To- Kalon Vineyard offers up an awesome display of fragrant creosote, white chocolate, blackberries, cassis, cedarwood and incense. Full-bodied with a multidimensional mouthfeel, excellent opulence and layers of fruit, it possesses stunning purity and richness, a phenomenally fragrant nose (the most aromatic of all these Schrader Cabs), and a long finish. The tannins suggest another 3-4 years of cellaring will be beneficial. It should keep for 20+ years.

These wines represent an obsessive-compulsive intellectual study of the effect of different Cabernet Sauvignon clones in a single vineyard, in this case, the great Beckstoffer To-Kalon site in Oakville. Made by Thomas Brown for Fred (Old Sparky) and Carol Schrader, these wines are all stunning. At age ten, they are just beginning to reveal some nuances and differences illustrated by this clonal exercise.

Rated 100 Pts. The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky is very deep purple-black in color with a wonderfully pure nose of blackcurrant cordial, blackberry preserves and black cherry pie with nuances of dried bay leaves, dusty soil, garrigue and new leather plus touches of unsmoked cigars and pencil shavings. Full-bodied, concentrated and jam-packed with flavors, the palate is pure hedonism with a solid line of ripe tannins and great freshness, finishing very long.

— Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate

Rated 100 Pts. My notes on the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard started with “Wow, what a nose” and finished with a few expletives. Based largely on the T6 Cabernet Sauvignon from To Kolan, with smaller amounts of the RBS, CCS, and Schrader, it’s a massive wine by any measure yet carries everything perfectly, with perfumed notes of crème de cassis, incense, flowers, and exotic spice, full-bodied richness, an expansive, mulit-dimensional texture, sweet tannins, and no sensation of weight or heaviness. It’s a monumental bottle of wine that made me want to downgrade every other wine I tasted for this report. It’s bottled only in magnum, so do your best to hold off for 6-7 years (good luck!) and it will keep for 3-4 decades. Bravo to the whole team at Schrader for a truly magical wine.

Rated 97 Pts. A barrel selection coming from the best barrels of Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky has a deep garnet-purple color and savory/meaty nose of yeast extract, chargrill, sautéed herbs and smoked meat over a core of crème de cassis, cigar box, red currant jelly and wild blueberries plus a touch of powdered cinnamon. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is packed with black fruit preserves, savory and baking spice layers, with a very firm backbone and very long, multilayered finish.

— Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate

Rated 96 Pts. A masterpiece of complexity and elegance, exhibiting a firm, supple, dense core of loamy earth, licorice, currant, blackberry and jazzy oak notes without being weighty. Most impressive for its elegance and grace. Drink now through 2034.

— James Laube, Wine Spectator

Rated 100 Pts. A wine that got more than one expletive in my notes, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky is a barrel selection and is mostly clone 6 with smaller amounts of clone 4. Pure crème de cassis, blueberries, violets, white chocolate, and white flower notes all soar from this inky 2015 which is full-bodied, powerful, yet weightless and elegant. Its tannins are covered by a wealth of fruit, it has no hard edges, perfect integration of its fruit, tannin, acidity, and alcohol, and a finish that just won’t quit. This is a crazy good wine that couldn’t be any better.

— Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

Rated 96 Pts. A dense and very layered Sparky with lots of ripe varietal character such as currant bushes and dark fruit. Full-bodied, rich and powerful. Juicy and very flavorful. Attractive to drink now but needs at least two or three years to come together.

Rated 98 Pts. The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky, Fred Schrader’s favorite selection, is clone 4 from the To Kalon Vineyard aged in 100% new Darnajou and seems closest in personality and overall style to the CCS. This is a beautiful wine with great intensity and seems to be one of the superstars of this vintage. Smoky barbecue notes intermix with charcoal embers, blackberry, cassis, Christmas fruitcake, licorice and camphor. This is a complex 2014 that is showing beautifully at the moment and will continue to drink well for another 20 years.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rated 94 Pts. A potent, open-throttle expression of powerful Cabernet, with tiers of dense, extracted dark berry, mocha, loamy earth, cedar and tobacco leaf flavors, leading to a strong, tannic finish. All the elements are in place for this to become a beauty with time. Best from 2021 through 2038.

— James Laube, Wine Spectator

Rated 97 Pts. This is really savory with so much meat, currant, mushroom and walnut-skin character. Full-bodied, layered and very powerful. A touch of heat on the finish, but the acid balances it out. Extreme intensity. Contrasty and fascinating.

Rated 100 Pts. The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky, which is essentially made from clone 4 from two separate blocks, clone 6 and clone 337, is another perfect wine from the Schraders. I suppose it’s a little boring to say, and perhaps I can be accused of creating unrealistic expectations on the part of readers, but this is as great as Cabernet can be. Tasting like a first-growth Pauillac, the wine is opaque purple and has a fabulous nose of lead pencil, spring flowers, blueberry and blackberry and the telltale cassis. There is also some licorice and sweet oak, the tannins are ripe, and the wine full-bodied. Built like a skyscraper, with an incredible finish (like most of these wines) going on for 50 seconds to a minute, this amazing wine should still be drinking splendidly well at age 25 or 30.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rated 96 Pts. Bold and powerful, with an explosive burst of juicy red and black fruits shaded by licorice, spice and oak details. Shows a wonderful sense of harmony and finesse. This is captivating, ending with firm tannins. Best from 2020 through 2036.

Rated 100 Pts. Another compelling, nearly perfect wine is the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer to Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky. This is Clone 4 and Clone 6, as well as Clone 337, blended together from the Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard, aged in 100% new Darnajou barrels. For whatever reason, this wine seems to show more chocolate, espresso roast, barbecue smoke, dense blackberry and blueberry fruit and enormous body with not a touch of heaviness or astringency. This is a fabulous offering. It should drink well for 20-25 years.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rated 96 Pts. Very tight, featuring a beam of spice-laced blackberry, currant, dried herb and jazzy oak. The laser focus is most evident on the finish, which slowly unravels to highlight this wine’s density, elegance and grace. The flavors reverberate in the end.

Rated 95 Pts. The 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky reveals lots of cassis, spring flower, graphite and spice characteristics along with good minerality. Medium to full-bodied and strikingly rich, it, too, is a great success for the vintage. It should drink well for 15 or more years.

Rated 98 Pts. The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky, made from clone 4, 6 and 337, displays a dense opaque purple color as well as an incredible nose of graphite, cedarwood, incense, licorice, Christmas fruitcake, vanillin and abundant blackberry and black currant liqueur. Gorgeously rich and textured with a nearly endless finish, this super intense, full throttle wine needs 5-7 years of bottle age and should drink well over the following 25-30 years. It was aged 20 months in 100% new oak barrels.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rated 97 Pts. Impeccably balanced, with powerful currant, dark berry, mocha, floral and understated cedar notes, this wine begs for cellaring as it is just beginning to reveal its depth and dimensions. Ends with chewy, gripping, ripe, flavorful tannins. Best from 2015 through 2032.

Rated 97 Pts. The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is remarkably finessed for such a big wine. Mint, mocha, violets, tar and licorice are some of the many notes that swirl around in the glass. The balance of fruit, structure and acidity is just breathtaking. A huge, kaleidoscopic finish rounds things out in style. Old Sparky is a blend of the estate’s best barrels. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2029.

— Antonio Galloni, The Wine Advocate

Rated 97 Pts. Ultrarich and polished, dense and concentrated, with potent mocha-laced currant, blackberry, black licorice and sandalwood flavors, firming on the finish, where the tannins are ripe and well-structured. Best from 2014 through 2032.

Rated 100 Pts. From the reviews I gave Schrader's 2007s and 2008s last year and the 2005s and 2006s previously, to the recent Wine Spectator cover story on Fred and Carol Schrader, there doesn't appear to be a hotter Cabernet Sauvignon producer in the New World than this small boutique winery. Their wines have already received four perfect scores and with this report, that grows to six... The wines are incredibly expressive examples of Cabernet Sauvignon that are as good as it gets for this varietal. Of course they are more similar than dissimilar, but I suspect virtually every vintage they have produced to date has 25-40 years of cellaring potential, and long term aging should produce more and more subtle differences to support this compulsive study of clones and parcels within a given vineyard. I'll try and keep my notes simple, but these are profoundly great, world-class wines.

Another candidate for perfection, the 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky comes from Clone 4, Clone 6 and Clone 337 although Clone 6 dominates the blend. Also a monumental wine, it is not as nuanced as the CCS or the RBS, but it possesses serious minerality as well as huge notes of tobacco leaf, pain grille, spring flowers, blueberries, blackberries, and licorice in both the aromatic and flavor profiles. The finish is endless in this super-intense, rich wine. Like all these wines, it is a 25- to 40-year effort although the sweetness of the tannin and the emerging complexity permits enjoyment even at this infantile stage.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rated 98 Pts. Amazingly complex, exhibiting a seamless, sophisticated mix of ripe blueberry, currant and hard red candy flavors, with a firm, loamy earth foundation. Yet for all this delivers up front and from midpalate on, it's the finish that sets it apart, sailing along ever so gracefully. Best from 2012 through 2025.

Rated 100 Pts. The 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky (a magnums-only blend of clone 4 from two separate blocks, clone 6, and clone 337) is another perfect wine. Ridiculous levels of concentration, without heaviness, extraordinary opulence, and amazing exuberance and flamboyance are found in this beauty along with abundant notes of creme de cassis, cedarwood, spring flowers, lead pencil shavings, and a hint of hot pebbles. It also displays outstanding purity, depth, and full-bodied power. There is a strong undercurrent of minerality in all of these wines which sets 2007 apart from other rich vintages such as 2002. The Old Sparky should also age effortlessly for three decades or more.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rated 100 Pts. Incredibly rich and layered, with a profound mix of pure ripe plum, crème de cassis, blackberry, wild berry, spice, red and black licorice, mocha, mineral and fresh-cut flowers—simply amazing flavors that are pure and balanced, combining power with finesse. Ends with a tapered finish that weaves together the flavors with ripe, polished, yet firm tannins. Drink now through 2030.

Rated 100 Pts. The flagship wine, the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To-Kalon Old Sparky, is another remarkable effort, offering up smoky blackberry and cassis fruit intermixed with notions of bouquet garni, roasted meats, creosote, and cedar. Tasting like a first-growth Pauillac from a very ripe, extravagantly rich vintage, this wine looks set to enjoy 25-30 or more years of longevity, as do all of these compelling Cabernets.

As I wrote last year, this is a fascinating portfolio of 100% Cabernet Sauvignons all of them from Beckstoffer-owned vineyards, including the To-Kalon Vineyard in Oakville, and one wine from the George III Vineyard in Rutherford. All the wines are aged in 100% new French oak, usually a combination of Darnajou and Taransaud barrels, with a higher percentage of Darnajou used for the T6, CCS, Old Sparky, and Schrader. The different bottlings are essentially based on specific blocks and/or specific clones of Cabernet Sauvignon. In short, I think the 2006s are arguably the finest wines of the vintage, and the 2007s appear to be as profound.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rated 99 Pts. A wow-ish mix of opulence and restraint, offering ripe, seductive currant and blackberry fruit that's full-bodied and complex, turning elegant and refined yet gaining depth and richness on the finish. Builds to an amazing crescendo of flavors. Best from 2010 through 2017.

Rated 100 Pts. Voluptuously textured, expansive, savory and full-bodied, with super-sweet tannins and a finish that goes on for close to a minute, this is a prodigious wine and one of the superstars of the vintage. Look for it to drink well for another 30+ years.

Rated 98 Pts. The 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky is made from clones 4, 6 and 337, the same as the Schrader, and comes from the Beckstoffer To Kalon vineyard. It was aged 20 months in 80% Darnajou and 20% Taransaud and there are only 100 cases. This is a spectacular wine that is very sexy and forward, with great creme de cassis, and blackberry fruit intermixed with hints of coffee, unsmoked cigar tobacco, licorice and graphite. Full-bodied and layered, it is a sensational wine to drink now and over the next 20-25 years.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rated 95+ Pts. The 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky, which is 100% Beckstoffer fruit, and essentially a different blend of clones, primarily Clone 6, is dazzling. This wine is dense purple in color with a big, smoky, floral nose of blueberry, blackberry, creosote, and some pain grille. Its terrific texture, fabulous opulence, and power all augur for a wine that will last 20 or more years.

Rated 97+ Pts. Nearly as tannic as the Schrader Beckstoffer To-Kalon, the 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky Beckstoffer To- Kalon Vineyard is the first vintage where Thomas Brown and the Schraders were able to use all of their clones in the blend. Relatively backward and not as open-knit aromatically and fragrant as the T6 or RBS, and not as exuberant as the Schrader To-Kalon, it possesses fabulous intensity, a full-bodied richness and lots of blue and black fruit notes intermixed with graphite and cedarwood. This impressive young wine reminds me of a first growth Pauillac. Forget it for 4-5 years and drink it over the following two decades.

These wines represent an obsessive-compulsive intellectual study of the effect of different Cabernet Sauvignon clones in a single vineyard, in this case, the great Beckstoffer To-Kalon site in Oakville. Made by Thomas Brown for Fred (Old Sparky) and Carol Schrader, these wines are all stunning. At age ten, they are just beginning to reveal some nuances and differences illustrated by this clonal exercise.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rated 94+ Pts. The 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky is essentially a selection of the best barrels. A big, structured cuvee, it is full-bodied, dense, and as backward as the 2003 T-6, but with sweeter cassis-like aromas and flavors. This big, rich, bold, boisterous Cabernet Sauvignon will benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age and should keep for two decades.

Rated 100 Pts. The 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky (which is only available in magnums) is a wine of great intensity as well. More similar than dissimilar to its two siblings, it seems to be backward. If I did not know its age, I would have guessed it had just been bottled. Stunningly pure notes of graphite, blueberries, creme de cassis, and a hint of toasty oak soar from the glass as if propelled by jet propulsion. In the mouth, the wine is full-bodied with high tannins, but nothing is out of balance. Tasting from magnum makes for a slightly younger showing of the wine, but this is unquestionably a brilliant wine. It, too, needs to be forgotten for 7-10 years, and drunk over the following 25

Rated 100 Pts. A barrel selection released only in magnum, similar to the Old Sparky release, yet only from the Las Piedras Vineyard, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Colesworthy Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard is another perfect wine from this team, and it’s one of those wine where I wish I could pour ever reader a taste. Offering up thrillingly pure notes of crème de cassis, perfectly ripe blueberries, chocolate, and a crazy, liquid rock-like minerality, it hits the palate with a full-bodied, powerful style that carries tons of richness and depth, yet still just glides over the palate with no sensation of weight or heaviness. It’s certainly one of the greatest Napa Cabernet Sauvignons I’ve ever tasted. As with the base Las Piedras Vineyard, do your best to hold off for a few years.

Rated 100 Pts. Lastly, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy is a barrel selection from the Las Piedras Vineyard in St. Helena. It takes the classic LPV release and ratchets up the intensity without any additional sense of weight or heaviness. With incredible cassis, liquid violets, white flowers, and a distinct earthy, loamy minerality, this beauty has insane purity of fruit, a huge, layered, full-bodied style on the palate, sweet tannin, and a blockbuster finish. Don’t miss it!

— Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

Rated 98 Pts. There is brightness and intensity on the nose and palate with fantastic depth of blue fruits such as blueberries and blackberries. Oyster shell, too. Full-bodied, layered and beautiful. So much intensity and focus. High fidelity character.

Rated 94 Pts. Slightly less impressive, but still a brilliant wine, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Colesworthy comes across as more backward and closed with a Graves-like minerality. This also hails from the Las Piedras Vineyard and was aged 20 months in 100% new Darnajou. This was the most reserved of all of the 2014s from Schrader, will probably benefit from several years of bottle age, and keep for 15 or more years.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rated 94 Pts. Slow to unfold, but does so in an impressive manner, gradually building intensity and depth around a core of gravel-laced dark berry, herb, licorice and spicy oak notes. Best from 2021 through 2036. 117 cases made.

— James Laube, Wine Spectator

Rated 100 Pts. This is phenomenal with blackberries and blueberries, not to mention quite incredible stones and black tea. What a nose. Full-bodied and so tight and dense — yet agile and austere with so much going on. Fantastic balance. One of the best Schraders ever made. Better in four or five years, yet wonderful now.

Rated 98+ Pts. Close to perfection is the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy, which is clone 337. This is aged in 100% new Darnajou and soaks up the new oak beautifully. Notes of lead pencil shavings, forest floor, vanilla, blackberry and cassis jump from the glass of this opaque purple, full-bodied, magnificent Cabernet Sauvignon, which is super-rich, fabulously pure and just a killer wine on the palate.

— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Rated 96 Pts. Combines power and concentration with finesse and nuance, showing extracted blackberry, licorice, graphite, crushed rock and savory herb notes. Finishes with a powerful aftertaste that reverberates with flavor. The spicy, toasty oak adds texture and nuance. Best from 2020 through 2035.

— James Laube, Wine Spectator

Rated 98 Pts. The magnum-only wine shows the best of Las Piedras. So much iodine, blackberry, black currant, licorice, stone and lavender character. Seamless and ultra-fine. A wine with a great future. Better in 2022 but fascinating to tasting.

Rated 95 Pts. A selection of the best barrels of this wine, representing only 110 cases or basically 41/2 barrels, is the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy. This is largely Clone 337, aged 20 months in 100% new Darnajou. This is deep, rich, full, backward and not quite as easy to access as its sibling, although at some point the Schraders and Thomas Brown thought these were the best barrels from Las Piedras. It seems to share much of its siblings opaque purple color, lots of coffee, blackberry and cassis fruit, charcoal and graphite, but seems to also require more bottle age to round into shape. Forget it for 3-4 years and drink it over the following 20-25 years.